Pegboard with through peg-hole mounting

ABSTRACT

A pegboard panel includes a plurality of perforations and a plurality of box-anchor receptacles that project outwardly from a rear surface. Each box-anchor receptacle communicates with one of the plurality of perforations and includes a back wall that is spaced from the rear surface and that defines a through opening arranged in substantially coaxial relation with the perforation. A storage system is also provided that includes the foregoing pegboard panel into which a fastener is positioned within the through opening. A portion of the fastener engages the back wall so as to secure the pegboard panel to a structure, e.g., a wall, thereby forming an interface between the fastener, the back wall, and the structure. A support device engages a portion of one of the plurality of box-anchor receptacles so as to be positioned on the front surface of the pegboard panel so that loads supported by the support device act directly upon the fastener-wall-structure interface.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 60/565,967, filed Apr. 28, 2004.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to storage and organizationalsystems, and more particularly to structures used to mount storage andorganizational systems onto vertical surfaces.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Storage and organizational systems of the type in which a compositionboard with a plurality of holes is mounted vertically on a surface arewell known in the art. These systems, known as pegboards, are oftenadapted to receive support devices, e.g., hook and peg members, whichextend into the holes so that articles may be supported from theforwardly projecting portions of the support device.

Mounting a pegboard in a home typically requires securing the pegboardon a wall of the house. Typical walls in a home are often constructed ofeither plaster or gypsum board, and do not have sufficient structuralstrength alone to support a pegboard or the loads caused by itemsmounted on the pegboard. Installation thus usually involves locating thewall studs located behind the plaster or gypsum board, and fastening aframework through the plaster or gypsum board to one or more studs. Thepegboard is then mounted on the framework by placing fasteners, e.g.screws, through several holes disbursed throughout the pegboard, andthen driving each fastener into the frame, or through the frame and intoa stud. Frames are often necessary to provide sufficient space betweenthe back surface of the pegboard and the wall of the home so as toaccommodate engagement portions of the support devices, e.g., hook andpeg members, which extend into the holes so that articles may besupported from forwardly projecting portions of the support device.

This arrangement is not only aesthetically undesirable, but alsorequires mounting holes be provided solely for securing the pegboard tothe vertical surface in the pegboard, which could otherwise receiveadditional support devices. Also, since loads will often be cantileveredto the front surface of the pegboard, the pegboard will be subject totorques which can deteriorate the strength and the stability of thepegboard as well as its connection to the supporting wall. The fact thata frame is often used is also disadvantageous in that additional timeand materials beyond the purchase and installation of the pegboarditself must be expended. This situation is further exacerbated whenpegboards of the type taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,581,788, are employed.

More particularly, in pegboard systems such as are disclosed in U.S.Pat. No. 6,581,788, a perforated panel is provided in the form of aplaner sheet of material, preferably formed of a metal or polymer, andhaving a plurality of regularly shaped perforations, disposed in aregular pattern throughout the panel. The perforations are eachpreferably formed so as to be defined by a circumferential edge, oftenforming a rectangular or square opening in the panel. The perforatedpanel is typically about one quarter to one half of an inch thick, withthe perforations being arranged in a regular pattern through panel.Hooks having cantilevered latches are releasably snap-fit into theseperforations to provide the same storage function as support devices ontraditional pegboard systems.

These newer perforated pegboards need to be formed with a perceptiblethickness in order to accommodate the cantilevered latches. This needcreates difficulty when conventional mounting holes are provided in theboard for mounting to vertical surfaces. Either a counter-sunk hole isrequired, or longer fasteners are needed to overcome the added thicknessof these boards. This need results in the foregoing aesthetic issues andgeneral difficulty in mounting the pegboard.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a pegboard panel having a front surface,a rear surface, and a plurality of perforations. A plurality ofbox-anchor 20 receptacles project outwardly from the rear surface. Eachbox-anchor receptacle communicates with one of the plurality ofperforations and includes a back wall that is spaced from the rearsurface and that defines a through opening arranged in substantiallycoaxial relation with the perforation.

A storage system is also provided that includes the foregoing pegboardpanel into which a fastener is positioned within the through opening. Aportion of the fastener engages the back wall so as to secure thepegboard panel to a structure, e.g., a wall, thereby forming aninterface between the fastener, the back wall, and the structure. Asupport device engages a portion of one of the plurality of box-anchorreceptacles so as to be positioned on the front surface of the pegboardpanel so that loads supported by the support device act directly uponthe fastener-wall-structure interface.

Significantly, not only does this structural arrangement provide animproved aesthetic appearance to the pegboard panel, but it also allowsfor the positioning of the load-bearing parts, e.g., hooks, pegs,shelves, directly over the fastener holding the pegboard panel. In thisway, substantially all of the bending and shear loads that are appliedto the pegboard panel as a result of supporting loads on the supportdevices, act directly upon the fastener-wall-interface, thus preventingunwanted and damaging torque loads from being applied to the pegboardpanel. Moreover, the perforations allow a support device to be securedto the pegboard panel so that there is no need for a frame when mountingthe pegboard panel to a wall.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will bemore fully disclosed in, or rendered obvious by, the following detaileddescription of the preferred embodiments of the invention, which are tobe considered together with the accompanying drawings wherein likenumbers refer to like parts and further wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pegboard panel formed in accordancewith the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of a pegboard panel formed in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 is a broken-away, front view of a pegboard panel formed inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a broken-away, cross-sectional view of a novel perforationformed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a broken-away, rear view of a novel perforation formed inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a broken-away, cross-sectional view of a novel perforationformed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a partially broken-away, perspective view of a storage systemformed in accordance with the present invention; and

FIGS. 8 and 9 are a broken-away, cross-sectional view, as taken alongline 8-8 in FIG. 7, of a storage system formed in accordance with thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

This description of preferred embodiments is intended to be read inconnection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be consideredpart of the entire written description of this invention. The drawingfigures are not necessarily to scale and certain features of theinvention may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematicform in the interest of clarity and conciseness. In the description,relative terms such as “horizontal,” “vertical,” “up,” “down,” “top” and“bottom” as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally,”“downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to theorientation as then described or as shown in the drawing figure underdiscussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description andnormally are not intended to require a particular orientation. Termsincluding “inwardly” versus “outwardly,” “longitudinal” versus “lateral”and the like are to be interpreted relative to one another or relativeto an axis of elongation, or an axis or center of rotation, asappropriate. Terms concerning attachments, coupling and the like, suchas “connected” and “interconnected,” refer to a relationship whereinstructures are secured or attached to one another either directly orindirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable orrigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly describedotherwise. The term “operatively connected” is such an attachment,coupling or connection that allows the pertinent structures to operateas intended by virtue of that relationship. In the claims,means-plus-function clauses, if used, are intended to cover thestructures described, suggested, or rendered obvious by the writtendescription or drawings for performing the recited function, includingnot only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 5, a pegboard panel 2 formed in accordancewith the present invention includes a front surface 4, a rear surface 6,an annular peripheral wall 8, a plurality of openings or perforations10, and a plurality of box-anchor receptacles 12. Annular peripheralwall 8 projects outwardly from the peripheral edge of rear surface 6 insurrounding relation to plurality of perforations 10 and plurality ofbox-anchor receptacles 12, and is typically about one quarter to onehalf of an inch thick. Each perforation 10 extends through pegboardpanel 2 from front surface 4 to rear surface 6 in a regular pattern, andcommunicates with an interior portion of a corresponding box-anchorreceptacle 12 (FIGS. 4, 6, and 8). A pad 14 is positioned in surroundingrelation to each perforation 10, and stands proud of front surface 4(FIG. 4). Pegboard 2 may be formed from either metal or polymer, as longas the material comprises sufficient structural integrity to withstandboth bending and shear loads without appreciable deformation. Pegboardpanel 2 is often provided in modules of about two to three feet wide. Ofcourse, it will be understood that perforated pegboard panel 2 may havevarious lengths and widths, depending upon the size of the storagesystem in which it is being installed.

Referring to FIGS. 3-6, each box-anchor receptacle 12 projects outwardlyfrom rear surface 6 of pegboard panel 2 as a part of a regular patternof box-anchor receptacles that corresponds to the pattern ofperforations 10, and comprises a top wall 22, a back wall 24,confronting side walls 26, and a bottom ledge 28. More particularly, topwall 22, back wall 24, and confronting side walls 26 are preferablyarranged on rear surface 6 so as to form a hollow receptacle space,often a hollow cube. An opening 30 is defined through the center of backwall 24, and is sized so as to receive a fastener 32, e.g., a wood screwor sheet metal screw, or the like. Bottom ledge 28 is positioned inspaced confronting relation to top wall 22 and in annular relation to abottom opening 34, such that perforation 10 opens into of box-anchorreceptacle 12, with bottom opening 34 forming an exit way leading fromthe interior of the hollow cube. A plurality of structural reinforcementmembers 36 are arranged in buttressing relation to the outer portions oftop wall 22, back wall 24, and confronting side walls 26 so as toprovide structural rigidity and shear strength to box-anchor receptacle12. Often, structural members 36 are arranged in rectilinear forms,i.e., open squares, rectangles, or other polygonal shapes (FIG. 5) thatsurround the outer portions of box-anchor receptacle 12 so as to providereinforcement and buttressing, particularly against shear loads.

Pegboard panel 2 is often arranged on the interior or exterior wall A ofa room or shop area so that a plurality of support devices 40 may bepositioned on front surface 4 (FIG. 7). For convenience, in thisspecification, the term “support device” will be used to represent atype of fixture that is attachable to pegboard panel 2, by insertion ofa catch element 42 (often “hook” or “L” shaped) into at least one ofperforations 10, and used to hold various implements, i.e., hand tools,garden tools, instruments, wires, cables, display objects (such aspackages, blister display packs, vacuum display packs, loose hardware orhousehold items, grocery items, department or variety store items, andshelves, pictures, wire frames, and the like).

More particularly, pegboard panel 2 is mounted upon a wall A in thefollowing manner. Pegboard panel 2 is arranged so that rear surface 6 ispositioned in confronting parallel relation to a front surface of wallA. Once in this position, pegboard panel 2 is moved towards wall A untilannular peripheral wall 8 engages wall A. In this position, pegboardpanel 2 sits flush on the outer surface of wall A such that back surface44 of back wall 24 of plurality of box-anchor receptacles 12 engages atleast a portion of wall A. Once in this position, a fastener such aswood screw 32 is arranged in confronting coaxial relation with both aperforation 10 and opening 30 of a selected box-anchor receptacle 12.Once in this position, wood screw 32 is moved toward wall A until itspointed tip 47 travels through opening 30 and engages the surface ofwall A. Once wood screw 32 is then rotated so as to be driven into wallA. As the shaft and threads of wood screw 32 moves into wall A, head 50of wood screw 32 draws toward the inner surface of back wall 24. Head 50engages back wall 24 and secures it in contacting engagement with theportion of wall A that is adjacent to it.

This procedure can be repeated in as many perforations 10 as isnecessary to provide secure fixed engagement of pegboard panel 2 to wallA. It should be noted that as a result of this construction, structuralmembers 36 act in cooperation with the structure of box-anchor 12 toprovide frame-like support at each position in which a wood screw 32 hasbeen driven into wall A. Advantageously, head 50 of wood screw 32 is notreadily obvious upon viewing front surface 4 of pegboard panel 2.Additionally, if a stud underlying wall A is not engaged by any one ormore wood screws 32, it is only necessary to move to adjacentperforations 10 in an attempt to drive a wood screw 32 into a stud.

Significantly, not only does this structural arrangement provide animproved aesthetic appearance to pegboard panel 2, but it also allowsfor the positioning of the load-bearing parts, e.g., hooks, pegs,shelves, directly over wood screw 32 holding pegboard panel 2. In thisway, substantially all of the bending and shear loads, that are appliedto pegboard panel 2 as a result of supporting loads on those hooks andshelves, act directly upon the screw-wall-surface interface, i.e.,orthogonally with the screw-wall surface interface, thus preventingunwanted and damaging torque loads from being applied to pegboard panel2.

It is to be understood that the present invention is by no means limitedonly to the particular constructions herein disclosed and shown in thedrawings, but also comprises any modifications or equivalents within thescope of the claims.

1. A pegboard panel comprising: a front surface, a rear surface, and aplurality of perforations that extend from said front surface throughsaid rear surface; and a plurality of box-anchor receptacles projectingoutwardly from said rear surface, each arranged in surrounding relationto and communicating with one of said plurality of perforations andcomprising a back wall that is attached to, but spaced from said rearsurface and that defines a through opening arranged in substantiallycoaxial relation with said perforation so as to receive a fastener formounting said pegboard panel to a surface
 2. A pegboard panel accordingto claim 1 wherein said plurality of box-anchor receptacles are arrangedin a pattern that corresponds one for one with a pattern of saidperforations.
 3. A pegboard panel according to claim 1 wherein each ofsaid box-anchor receptacles further comprises a top wall, confrontingside walls, and a bottom ledge that are arranged together on said rearsurface so as to form a hollow cube arranged in surrounding relation toa perforation.
 4. A pegboard panel according to claim 1 wherein saidthrough opening is defined in a central portion of said back wall, andis sized so as to receive a portion of a fastener.
 5. A pegboard panelaccording to claim 3 wherein said bottom ledge is positioned in spacedconfronting relation to said top wall and in annular relation to abottom opening, such that said one of said plurality of perforationscommunicates with said bottom opening.
 6. A pegboard panel according toclaim 1 comprising a plurality of structural reinforcement memberslocated on said rear surface so as to buttress said box-anchorreceptacles.
 7. A pegboard panel according to claim 6 wherein each ofsaid box-anchor receptacles comprises a top wall, a back wall,confronting side walls, and a bottom ledge arranged on said rear surfaceso as to form a hollow cube buttressed by said structural reinforcementmembers.
 8. A pegboard panel according to claim 7 wherein saidconfronting side walls engage said structural reinforcement members soas to provide structural rigidity and shear strength to each of saidbox-anchor receptacles.
 9. A pegboard panel according to claim 6 whereinsaid structural members are arranged in rectilinear forms selected fromthe group consisting of open squares, rectangles, and polygons that arearranged in buttressing relation to outer portions of each of saidbox-anchor receptacles so as to provide reinforcement and structuralsupport against shear loads.
 10. A pegboard panel according to claim 1comprising an annular peripheral wall that projects outwardly from aperipheral edge of said rear surface in surrounding relation to saidplurality of perforations and said plurality of box-anchor receptacles.11. (canceled)
 12. A pegboard panel according to claim 1 wherein a padis positioned in surrounding relation to each of said perforations andstands proud of said front surface.
 13. A storage system comprising: apegboard panel having a front surface, a rear surface, a plurality ofperforations that extend from said front surface through said rearsurface, and a plurality of box-anchor receptacles projecting outwardlyfrom said rear surface, each arranged in surrounding relation to andcommunicating with one of said plurality of perforations and comprisinga back wall that is spaced away from said rear surface and defines athrough opening arranged in substantially coaxial communicating relationwith said perforation; a fastener positioned within said through openingand engaging said back wall so as to secure said pegboard panel to astructure thereby forming a pegboard panel supporting interface betweensaid fastener, said back wall, and said structure; and a support devicethat engages a portion of one of said plurality of box-anchorreceptacles and is positioned on said front surface so that loadssupported by said support device act directly upon saidfastener-wall-structure pegboard panel supporting interface.
 14. Astorage system according to claim 13 wherein said plurality ofbox-anchor receptacles are arranged in a pattern that corresponds to apattern of said perforations.
 15. A storage system according to claim 13wherein each of said box-anchor receptacles each comprise a pair ofconfronting side walls that project outwardly from said rear surface soas to support said back wall in spaced relation to said rear surface, atop wall, and an internally disposed bottom ledge so as to form a hollowcube.
 16. A storage system according to claim 13 wherein said throughopening is defined through a central portion of said back wall, and issized so as to receive a portion of a fastener and engage a portion ofsaid fastener.
 17. A storage system according to claim 15 wherein saidbottom annular ledge is positioned in spaced confronting relation tosaid top wall and in annular relation to a bottom opening, such thatsaid one of said plurality of perforations communicates with said bottomopening.
 18. A storage system according to claim 13 comprising aplurality of structural reinforcement members that are arranged inbuttressing relation to outer portions of each of said box-anchorreceptacles.
 19. A storage system according to claim 18 wherein each ofsaid box-anchor receptacles comprises a top wall, confronting sidewalls, and a bottom annular ledge that are arranged together on saidrear surface so as to form a hollow cube and that is buttressed by saidstructural reinforcement members.
 20. A storage system according toclaim 19 wherein said confronting side walls engage and are buttressedby said structural reinforcement members so as to provide structuralrigidity and shear strength to each of said box-anchor receptacles. 21.A storage system according to claim 18 wherein said structural membersare arranged in rectilinear forms selected from the group consisting ofopen squares, rectangles, and polygons that are arranged in surroundingrelation to outer portions of said box-anchor receptacle so as toprovide reinforcement and buttressing against shear loads.
 22. A storagesystem according to claim 13 comprising an annular peripheral wall thatprojects outwardly from a peripheral edge of said rear surface insurrounding relation to said plurality of perforations and saidplurality of box-anchor receptacles.
 23. (canceled)
 24. A storage systemaccording to claim 13 wherein a pad is positioned in surroundingrelation to each of said perforations, and stands proud of said frontsurface.